It's Clarkson's fault!

Last week we shared news the BBC's Top Gear was filming on an active volcano. Turns out it's Eyjafjallajökull, the same volcano causing European airplane havoc. Luckily, cast and crew escaped just hours before the volcano erupted. Amazing gallery below.

The one eyed man in the kingdom of the blind wasn't king, he was stoned for seeing light.

The cloud is now over most of Europe but you can really see that West Scotland has a chance of missing it as it takes an Eastern curve when it leaves Iceland. No flights until tomorrow- I can see myself drag my suitcase from home-station-Frankfurt- Brussels- hotel-station-London etc. Oh my! Our chancellor coming from San Francisco had to land in Lisbon and seems to be still there, some wounded soldiers from Afghanistan had to land in Istanbul.

Best of luck to your sister. I just watched a news report on this. I always find it amazing that no matter how tech savvy we become mother nature has but to blow her top and we are at her mercy.
Wishing all travlers safety and a speedy flight home.

My sister and BIL got a good hotel near the airport in Thailand, so that's good. The latest news is that Danish airspace will stay closed until 02:00 AM monday. From the news we get, I expect it will be longer. The volcano is still spewing ashes.

My cousin's son and his girlfriend are on their way back from a 3,5 months trip around the world, they are stuck in Madrid.

I wonder what all of you would do if you were stranded somewhere? Seems it's time to start hitchhiking again, like we did in the seventies. I know I would, if I was within Europe and I really wanted/had to get back home. I did once, to and from Basel in Switzerland - it took me 24 hours, and I even slept 8 hours.

Here's a picture of the area the cloud reach:

Attached Images

Last edited by Randi; 04-18-2010 at 05:51 AM.

"I don't know which weapons will be used in the third World war, but in the fourth, it will be sticks and stones" --- Albert Einstein.

Friends and I were discussing this very subject last evening. If we were in Europe and especially on a budget and had to stay several days longer, it'd be pretty scary, not knowing anyone and worrying if we'd have enough money for a hotel, meals, etc. to see us through.

If we were in Europe and especially on a budget and had to stay several days longer, it'd be pretty scary, not knowing anyone and worrying if we'd have enough money for a hotel, meals, etc. to see us through.

Mary, in situations like this, that is where people should come together and help each other out. I imagine many would offer accommodation if some have run out of money. What I don't like about this, is that hotels are taking advantage of the situation and charge more for rooms. For the people travelling to meeting, there are at least the internet these days.

Chris, I don't think you need to worry about your lungs, but in any case keep an eye out and stay inside if you see the dust cloud coming towards you.

What a mess this is!

Here's a later image of how the cloud is evolving:

Attached Images

"I don't know which weapons will be used in the third World war, but in the fourth, it will be sticks and stones" --- Albert Einstein.

My dad won't make his business trip, which is disappointing. He was due to fly out yesterday morning, and has been told the earliest he could leave would be Saturday evening - 3 days after the meetings end.

Didn't this volcano take TWO YEARS before it stopped erupting in the 1800s?

It erupted between 1821 and 1823 and when it ceased 1823 it triggered a bigger volcano- the Katla- which erupted in 1823.
I enjoyed my train ride to London- you meet so many people with different stories. My US colleagues couldn't make it here. One US lady who came over for a vacation with her family on my recommendation (they were at the place Edwina's Secretary and I were 4 years ago) couldn't go back. One UK colleague is in Mexico with his family, another German colleague is stuck in Hong Kong and they say they cannot get him back before 1st of May.
2 South African ladies I met in the hotel are stranded since wednesday last week. The bad thing is you have to check your airline all the time, are on the phone no end or are trying to access overloaded servers. I have already booked a train ticket back home on Friday but still hope I can make it flying- stay tuned